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Welcome to “The Book Reviewer Is IN”.

So what is this feature? Basically, I wanted to feature or showcase books / eBooks / novels that I have ACCEPTED for review, and the ones that I have lined-up to read from my TBR pile (purchased from bookstore, Amazon, etc). And I wanted to create my own, so here it is. This is somehow inspired by Books, Biscuits, and Tea’s “Showcase Sunday”. The owner of the blog is Vicky, and she’s really nice.

This book meme / feature can be weekly, monthly or everyday (if you want). Anyone can participate. Want to join? Visit The Book Reviewer is IN page to know more. Remember, if you have posted your own "The Book Reviewer is IN" feature / meme, make sure that you submit your link below. It will be fun!

THE DOMINO EFFECT is the story of Danny Rorro, a charismatic kid from Queens poisoned by the past. A series of painful defeats have left him scarred and isolated from his neighborhood, his parents, and, most significantly, the benevolent ways of his childhood when he was known as “Domino.” With great insight, imagery and wit, Danny recalls his past in Queens and his coming-of-age at Hamden Academy. His story includes being brutalized for moral behavior, heart break at the hands of a friend, falling for a girl with a secret, a conflicted African-American roommate, privileged classmates, hostile wrestlers, regretful behavior and a robbery that threatens not only Hamden’s fragile social structure but Danny’s plans for redemption, as well. This fast-paced and powerful story is rich with conflict, humor, tenderness and music – just like life, especially when coming-of-age.

The vet handed Maggie Baxter a plastic specimen bag containing a pair of size-tiny lavender thong panties extracted from her dog; but they were not hers. Or rather, they were hers now since she'd just paid $734 to have Dr. Carter surgically remove them from Kona's gut.

This is how Maggie Baxter, a practical, rule-following accountant, discovers that her husband of seventeen years is cheating on her. All her meticulous life plans are crushed. When he leaves her for the other woman, Maggie and her the-world-is-my-smorgasbord chocolate Lab, Kona, are left to put their lives back together. As Maggie begins to develop a Plan B for her life, she decides to be more like Kona. No, she's not going to sniff crotches and eat everything that isn't nailed down; rather she'll try to approach life with more ball-chasing abandon. Finding herself in situations where she begins to go through her usual over-analysis of the pros and cons, she stops and instead asks herself: What would Kona do? With Kona as her guru, Maggie begins her quest for tail-wagging joy.

Chelsea James, captain of her local first aid squad, is trying to keep the organization afloat, but someone is sabotaging her. The squad is her father’s legacy and she feels responsible to keep it going. Jake Sweeney, back in town after a decade, is investigating the arsons he was accused of long ago. When they start again Chelsea and Jake must join forces to defeat their mutual enemy. Jake would like to rekindle what they had before he left town, but his departure left Chelsea hurt and bewildered. To begin again, she must learn to trust him. Her life could depend on it.

Journalist Avery Chauvin is devastated when she receives word of her father's suicide. How could her father, a dedicated physician, have taken his own life? That he set himself on fire is unfathomable.

Returning to her hometown of Cypress Springs, Louisiana, Avery desperately searches for answers. Instead she hears whispered rumors of strange happenings, of neighbors who go missing in the night. She discovers a box of old newspaper articles in her father's house, all covering the horrific murder of a local woman. Why had her father kept them?

Then the past and present collide. A woman is found brutally slain. An outsider passing through town vanishes. And Avery begins to wonder, could her father have been the victim of foul play?

As each step closer to the truth exposes yet another layer of deceit, Avery must face the fact that in this peaceful Southern town a terrible evil resides, protected--until now--by the power of silence.

So eggzoited! :D How about you? What's on your list? Let me know in the comments :D Thanks!

Life in France isn’t easy for the orphaned Maia Fielding. She’s struggling at her new music school, she has nightmares about her murdered grandfather… and when she thinks her romance with her boyfriend Altair is about to get serious he turns into a demon! Maia and her friends find themselves face to face with the horrors of the Underworld, where everyone she loves may be lost to her, forever.

Archangels and Demons Book Review

Archangels and Demons is a story of true love, an unconditional love, that will really teach you something about accepting (and fighting for) the person you love even though he or she is really different. For Maia, the protagonist in this book, it was learning that her one true love, Altair, is a demon and not minding at all. Not just any demon though. Altair’s father is the evil of them all. That being said, you may form a conclusion already on how the story will go and end. But I suggest you hold your horses there. This book offers a lot more than what you can ever imagine. At least for me, I was astounded with the author’s creativity and really vivid imagination. Be ready for surprises and twists and turns that will get your mind looking for answers and wondering what Maia, Altair and their friends would do next. Or how they will surpass the tricky situations that will come their way.

Let’s talk about the story. The story is really wonderful. It’s brilliant, as I’ve mentioned above. The story is set in the future world where Microsoft and Apple are things of the past. I mean, until now, I can’t believe what I’ve read. I can’t divulge a lot here but I have to tell you to be ready for the unexpected. This is what I like about reading. It brings me to worlds that are unknown and unbelievable but are really interesting. The ones that you will want to know more about. This book brought me to an innovative world where people like Maia and her friends still care about each other, where true love still exists, and where the impossible became possible.

The characters. I have to be honest. I really liked the characters but I wasn’t able to connect that much with Maia and Altair. I mean, I understand the love that they have, the true love that they are imposing but I just didn’t feel it. I am not sure why I wasn’t able to connect, but I tried though. Do you know what I mean? I think this is because I felt that I needed to know more about the characters and I felt that this book didn’t really give that much introduction or description for the characters. Some books don’t need that as they may have been written a certain way where knowing more about the characters are not necessary. But this one, it needed more. As a reader, I needed more. Anyway, that’s just me. That’s how I felt.

I think my favorite character is Alice, Maia's best friend. She's not the main character, I know. But her character is really likable. She's feisty and very supportive of Maia.

All in all, I would still recommend this impressive creation. I still loved it and would recommend to all romantic thriller readers out there. To all my friends, viewers and readers, if you want to read a book that will bring you to a place where ‘heaven meets earth’, and a book that will, once again, let us know the true meaning of unconditional love, then go ahead, read this book. You'll enjoy it.

This Kindle eBook was gifted to me by the author himself, Stephen Skelton. And you know, he’s really generous as he is willing to give away 5 free eBook copies of Archangels and Demons (Kindle edition only). The first five readers who will email him will get a copy of this eBook. It's important that you let him know that you’ve read my review and are interested in reading the book yourself. So email him now at skeltand@gmail.com. Remember, first five only ;) Go, go, go!

About the Author:

Photo Credit: Archangelsanddemons.blogspot.jp

Stephen Skelton is best selling author of Your New Future and has lived and travelled all over the world. Currently based in Japan he teaches at an International School. Stephen likes star watching, trekking, playing music, yoga and eating any kind of berry ever grown.

A women's Brokeback Mountain. The year was filled with memorable historical events: the Dreyfus Affair divided France; Booker T. Washington gave his Atlanta address; the United States expanded the effects of the Monroe Doctrine in South America; and Oscar Wilde was tried and convicted for gross indecency under Britain's recently passed law that made sex between males a criminal offense. When news of Wilde's conviction went out over telegraphs worldwide, it threw a small Nevada town into chaos. This is the story of what happened when the lives of its citizens were impacted the Wilde news. It is a chronicle of hatred and prejudice with all its unintended and devastating consequences, and how love and friendship bring strength and healing.

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap Book Review

“This book made me smile. For me, it’s a book that will teach its readers a thing or two about friendship and unconditional love. The author did very well; wonderful plot. The characters are effective. The ending of the story was a bit unexpected – but in a good way. Very well done.” – Ara @ My Book and My Coffee

I received this book, a PDF copy, from the author herself in exchange for an honest review.

When I first read the title of this book, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, a lot of things went to my mind – horrible things. I was scared to learn what will happen to Mildred Dunlap, what kind of persecution will she be facing, will there be an execution? Maybe it’s my imagination but I thought that Mildred’s fate was already set out and that I'm about to read something really, really sad. That was not the case. I just loved how the book ended.

Yes, this book made me smile – and scared, actually. I’ll explain a bit later on why it made me smile.

The story is set in the 1890s. And back then, apparently, and it figures, most people weren’t ready for unusual relationships such as what, reportedly, Oscar Wilde and another man had. Busybodies (yes, there are busybodies – just what every town has but doesn’t always need) have nothing to do but talk about Oscar Wilde, and of course, judge, judge, judge. Their innocence and close-mindedness annoyed me. A lot.

While reading the book, I was really scared for Mildred. Well, for Mildred and Edra. Of course, the townspeople are not aware of their relationship – yet (I won't say if they will or will not know ever. Hah! ;D). Hearing what all those busybodies have to say about the Wilde incident, Mildred worries that those busybodies will know the real deal between her and Edra, and all h*ll will break lose, and, well, in movies, we may have an idea of what may happen next, – and it’s not at all pretty.

The book made me smile – for a lot of reasons. Let’s just say that at the end of the day, justice was served. And as readers, we'll realize that what they say is true; that it doesn’t matter if you only have two or few friends. Just as long as they are true and real, and will stick with you till the end, you’re all set.

Let’s take a look at the characters:

Mildred. She was always persecuted by almost everyone. Weird crowd. When they are in need, they will ask Mildred for a favor but talk and persecute her when she turns her back. Oh, did I mention? Mildred is loaded – sorry for the spoiler there. I loved her character as she is humble and always ready to help people. Even though she knows what happens when she turns her back, she keeps silent and just walks away. She’s not a wimp, don’t get me wrong. She just knows what’s important and what’s not.

Edra. She had a very rough past but thanks to Mildred, she is coming to. She is a nice person, I feel. Mildred and Edra’s support system is one more thing that made me smile. It’s unbelievable.

I like these two characters a lot (Mildred and Edra). They were described properly so it feels like you know them therefore, you’d also want to protect them.

Charley. First of all, I loved how the character’s name is spelled. Charley – with an 'e'. :D He is a nice and loving fellow that you will surely admire as well. He’s very understanding and open to new things that give a different perspective. For a man in that time, I was really surprised with his actions. Just goes to show that friendship starts when you least expect it.

Gus. Oh, good ole Gus. I loved his character, too. Very open minded. As I was getting to know Gus’ character, I can’t help but think that if the Internet was already present at the time he ‘existed’, he would have a book blog, too – maybe called “My Book and My Whiskey” :) You'll know what I mean.

Josie. Oh, Josie, josie, josie. I hated her the most. I told ya, Paulette’s characters are so effective. Josie is one of the head of the group of women who have nothing better to do but talk about other people’s business, and made it their (at least Josie has) goal to hate Mildred and her ways. I am telling you; at one point, I wanted to strangle her. ;) That’s how mad I was at her character.

As I always say, you gotta love a book that can give you emotions you never thought you had or you never thought you can feel just by reading a book – like me wanting to strangle Josie. Or me being scared for the main character.

My lovely readers, viewers, friends and followers, if you like to read a historical fiction that will certainly make you wonder how is it really back then, how hard was it to get accepted if you’re a bit different than usual, and how real friends may exist in the middle of it all then I suggest that you read this book. Rating: (My 2nd 5-star rating!)

About the Author:

Paulette Mahurin is a Nurse Practitioner who lives in Ojai, California with her husband Terry and their three dogs-Eli, Max, and Bella. She practices women's health in a rural clinic and writes in her spare time.

Welcome to “The Book Reviewer Is IN”.

So what is this feature? Basically, I wanted to feature or showcase books / eBooks / novels that I have ACCEPTED for review, and the ones that I have lined-up to read from my TBR pile (purchased from bookstore, Amazon, etc). And I wanted to create my own, so here it is. This is somehow inspired by Books, Biscuits, and Tea’s “Showcase Sunday”. The owner of the blog is Vicky, and she’s really nice.

This book meme / feature can be weekly, monthly or everyday (if you want). Anyone can participate. Want to join? Visit The Book Reviewer is IN page to know more. Remember, if you have posted your own "The Book Reviewer is IN" feature / meme, make sure that you submit your link below. It will be fun!

When a mafia princess falls for a two-bit hoodlum an unhappy don plays some rough games in order to separate the two lovers.

Sean O’Donnell is a man who always keeps his word, especially to a lady. His good-for-nothing old man left his mother flat. When she gets ill, Sean assures her that he will never be like his father; if he makes a promise he will keep it, no matter what the cost. When local mob boss Mario Torretta’s daughter Nicole falls for Sean, the Don is not pleased, and makes it known that Sean is not good enough for his princess. However, Nicole is in love and begs Sean to stick by her. Once Sean gives his word, no amount of pressure from the Don will weaken his resolve. Sean will endure and persevere to keep his promise to Nicole, and to his mother.

Young computer programmer Rob Donovan receives an emergency call from his boss at the First Malden Bank in Boston after the first successful cyberattack in American banking history scrambles thousands of account records. First Malden’s survival is on the line as furious customers and voracious reporters descend on the bank. Rob is part of the team trying to fix the damage, until the FBI charges him with the crime and brings his world crashing down. Facing prison time and the loss of his fiancée Lesley, Rob’s only chance of reclaiming his life lies in cutting through a web of mistrust and betrayal to uncover the startling truth behind the attack.

"It was the hour of prowling bears, circling nightowls, vengeful spirits, and savage hearts. It was the hour of predators."

Two gruesome murders have shocked and divided the community of Bella Coola, a small, isolated village in a remote river valley on the coast of British Columbia. The evidence points to a teenaged Nuxalk boy, and the simmering tension between whites and tribe members heats up. RCMP Inspector Marcus Chao must sort through misleading clues, cultural conflicts, tangled relationships, sexual scandals, and even rumors of sorcery to find the truth.

Marcus is a man whose life has skidded into remorse and misery. His own infidelity has ended his marriage to the woman he still loves, and now he finds himself with only two things to keep his sinking spirits afloat: the need to serve justice and his eternal fascination with solving the puzzle of the crime. This latest puzzle, however, is proving to be a maze of intrigue, and his mettle as well as his principles will be tested.

Once a Wall Street hotshot, Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree chucked it all for a charmingly dilapidated fixer-upper in the tiny town of Eastport, Maine. She was certain she’d left the dangers of city life behind—until she discovered that no place, no matter how idyllic and peaceful it may appear, is safe from murder.

It began with the mysterious disappearance of Harriet Hollingsworth—Eastport’s snoopiest resident. Everyone is convinced the old busybody bolted out of town to escape her creditor—everyone except Jake and her best friend Ellie who know Harriet would never leave home without her most prized possession. But before Jake and Ellie can persuade police chief Bob Arnold to open an investigation, they’ll need to come up with proof more sinister than a pair of abandoned binoculars.

Just as Jake starts poking around for clues, things suddenly take a troubling turn for the worse. A suspicious accident nearly kills her teenaged son, Sam, and her husband, Wade, just misses getting his head blown off. Jake is prepared to attribute these incidents to a spate of bad luck—until another “accident” leaves a visitor to Eastport unmistakably dead.

Most perplexing, all this mayhem coincides with the unexpected arrival of a man from Jake’s past: a former New York City cop. Harry Markle claims he has unintentionally brought an unwelcome guest into Eastport: a crook determined to knock off everyone with ties to Harry.

Twenty-four hours ago, Jake’s only worry was fixing her broken-down gutters and downspouts before the big storm swept into town. Now, everything seems to be falling apart all around her. Jake knows from experience that the truth is usually as messy and complicated as do-it-yourself remodeling. As it becomes chillingly clear that appearances in this quaint community are more misleading than ever, she’ll have to find a way to lure a homicidal maniac into the light--before he nails another victim.

How about you? What's on your list? Let me know in the comments ;) Thank you.

In ancient Israel, where women are property, Princess Michal loves her father's worst enemy, the future King David. She sacrifices everything to save his life, but will her heart survive war and separation?

Michal's story comes to life in this powerful and emotional journey through love and heartache to self-realization. Her intense love for King David coupled with tragic circumstances causes her to do the unthinkable. Too strong for her time, Michal's story resonates with women today.

Michal’s Window Book Review

“A very long, interesting, colorful, and worthy read. This book is far from the ordinary – it’s an imaginative journey with Michal and David. This book made me smile, blush, cry, and many more. This will be a great TV series.” – Ara of My Book and My Coffee

I received this book, Michal’s Window, for free from the author herself, Rachelle Ayala.

Michal’s Window is not an ordinary historical romance novel. The book’s characters (most of them) were taken from or based on the Bible. This work, although fiction, has resembled a lot of events from the Bible. At one point, I had to stop reading the book to consult with a priest, who also happens to be a friend of mine. I’m ashamed to admit that even though I worked as a Parish Secretary for five years (that was a long time ago though), I’m still not familiar with all of the stories from the Bible. Anyway, after learning – and separating - the truth (Bible’s story) from Rachelle’s work, I smiled. The author definitely created a story that is full of colors, controversies, secrets, and most importantly, a story that will pique a reader’s curiosity. Oh, and as a woman, it will certainly make you thankful that you were born in this time and not around 1000 B.C in Israel.

The cast of characters: As I’ve mentioned above, most of the characters were based or taken from the Bible. I should tell you now that you’ll love and hate the characters here; sometimes, at the same time. Confusing? You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. Also, I should let you know now that there are a lot of characters in this book, and they fit just right.

The main character is Michal, daughter of Saul. For me, she was born in the wrong era. She’s almost fearless and liberated in her own way. She thinks she knows what she wants but gets confused along the way. But you can’t blame her. In the end, you’ll love her more as she stayed and pursued what is right. Although she has sinned a lot of times, she asked for forgiveness, and did what is lawfully right in the end. And it is what she really wanted in the first place.

David, the son of Jesse, is Michal’s love interest. From the Bible, this is the same David who fought Goliath and won. It is the same David who became the most glorious King. Anyway, in this book, when they first met, David was just a servant, a harpist that sang and played the most heavenly songs. I hated the character of David the longest, especially when he became the King. But you can’t blame him either. He just acted based on what he knows. Although, you know, for me, I think he should know better. But then again, being a king and a human, I believe his judgments were sometimes clouded by his power.

While discovering Michal and David’s love story, I can’t help but think of Ross and Rachel from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Of course, Michal and David’s story are far more different than theirs but the fact that their relationship runs hot and cold, I can’t help but think of the two (Ross and Rachel).

I'm just happy that women in this day and age can do so much; I mean, more than just being a wife who obeyed whatever her husband tells her. The freedom to love and have a say in all of it. And not be just someone’s property, that’s a real plus. :D

My favorite character is Ittai. Apparently, this character is also mentioned in the Bible and I have yet to discover his true character. But from this book, I loved his character the most. He was not perfect, but he was patient, almost surreal, but utterly lovable. I loved that he has a real care for Michal, and that over the years, he didn’t seem to hate Michal and the things that has happened between them. I feel that Michal also loved him truthfully but under the circumstances, well, let’s just say that first love never dies? :D

My favorite quote that came from Ittai’s character:

“It’s why God chooses not to tell us the future. He gifts us only with the present, so we can love to the fullest, without fear or reservation.” – I agree.

I also like Jada. She has a very open mind.

And yes, someday, this could be a great TV series (should be less ‘steamy’ scenes though). I say TV series as I think that this will be too long for a movie. But come to think of it, they can probably show this in parts, like the Twilight saga. Michal’s Window saga. :D I’m rooting for that one.

My dear friends, readers, viewers and followers, if you like a historical romance read, and a long journey that includes events and happenings that will surely make you eager to turn the next page to see what will happen, then this book is for you. I also want to let you know that there are ‘steamy’ scenes in here, and lots of them. So, if you are not comfortable with it, knowing that most of these characters resemble the ones from the Bible, this may not be the book for you. But keep in mind as well that this is fiction.

About the Author:

Rachelle Ayala was a software engineer until she discovered storytelling works better in fiction than real code. She has over thirty years of writing experience and has always lived in a multi-cultural environment. The tapestry of characters in her books reflect that diversity.

Rachelle is currently working on a romantic suspense involving software engineers. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.